Thinking about purchasing an old F-600 for use as a farm truck and would appreciate any and all information y'all could provide from the tag. Thanks.

 

Welcome to FTE!

Later today. First check the wheels. Many of these had two piece "widowmaker" wheels that are generally not servicable and not safe.

Brake drums are almost impossible to find, other than salvage items.

These two things can be real issues in getting one of these back into service.

Like I said, I'll be back on your decode.

 

I do believe it has the two piece rims and I was told it might need brake work so I'll definitely have to keep that in mind. I haven't fully committed to buying it and I'll have to think about it some but I appreciate the help.

 

F61 = F600 4x2, gas

D = 330 2V HD FT gas V8 (uses large diameter crank and all other HD FT engine items)

C = Ontario Truck Plant

T07788 = 1974 numerical series, October 1973 production

176 = 176 inch wheelbase

M = White (looks like a repaint....)

F613 = F600 4x2, gas, 22,000 lbs GVWR

4B8
4B = Black vinyl
8 = Standard cab, chassis/cab

A = New Process model 435 four speed transmission

E2L
E2 = Eaton model 16244 two speed rear axle, 17,500 lbs capacity, 6.17 / 8.58 ratios
L = Ford 6,000 lb capacity front axle with power steering

22000 = 22,000 lbs GVWR

25 = Richmond District Sales Office
No special order number--sold from dealer inventory or "sold off the lot" as they say.

Does it have a dump bed? Does it run?

Good luck with your selection process.

 

Widowmaker threads with pictures:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...l#post19892682

These are disc type wheels without locking rings.

If you have heavy spokes with 5 lugs at the rim, those are Dayton type and are usually not WM type.

 

I believe it has dump bed and he said it ran the last time he started it but that was a few years ago. He said if I brought a battery we could try and start it and it would probably run. I checked all the fluids and they were good and I was able to spin the engine over by hand. Also thinking back to it, it might've had the Dayton rims, I'm not entirely sure, I didn't pay to good of attention to them. I will check if I go to look again. Thanks.

 

I got a 1973 F600 off of my buddy’s grandpa a couple years back and my master cylinder was leaking brake fluid into the cab, so I figured I better replace it. RockAuto has a couple different options depending on serial number. I’m thinking I need the one From Q20001 and that I read Q2000 was in 1973? I’d like some expert advice before I pull the trigger on one, and whether or not my old pushrod needs to be reused or anything like that. I included some pictures from before I bought the truck and had the door tag decoded here. Thanks in advance for the help!

 

If your booster is working good with no leaks then addressing the MC alone will be your cheaper option . If the booster is marginal then look up Battle Born Brakes . Last I checked NAPA was up to $ 600.00 (booster) for a Cardone rebuild & they only lasted a year or two. good luck & nothing is cheap anymore !!!

 

I ran into this with my '73 F600, too. I mistakenly bought the earlier one for thru-'72. My VIN is Q86400, so I should have bought the later one. The early one bolted up, but the pushrod was too short; I bought an adjustable pushrod and installed it to work around having to return the MC and buy the correct one (someday, someone will curse me). Part numbers here.

Since your truck's VIN is Tnnnnn, you'd go with the later MC I'd think. However, I have no confidence in RockAuto's listings, since you almost certainly have a booster (with its own MC) under the driver's side of the cab. IDK if the firewall MC and the booster MC are the same.

Just to confuse you, there are factory firewall-mounted boosters too for these trucks. They don't seem to be as common as the under-cab boosters on these MD trucks, but they do exist.

Some info on Battle Born's brake system retrofit kit, which does away with the under-cab booster and gives you the option of mounting a dual-circuit MC on a firewall booster:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...1977-f600.html

(Battle Born Brakes is not to be confused with the awful, terrible, horrible Battle Born Batteries, who are being skewered for their relabeled Chinese crap RV/Solar batteries right now.)

'Q' VINs started in Aug1972 for the 1973 Trucks.
Your truck, being a T07788, is Oct1973 production, making it a 1974, though different states sometimes titled to the previous/next year in some circumstances. But for parts ordering, it's a "1974".

1973:


1974: